Conquest Games Norman Infantry

[Lord Dan]

I thought this topic deserved it's own thread.

Conquest Games is producing a plastic infantry kit to use alongside their brilliant box of Norman Knights. Release is scheduled for late July of this year, with sprue shots and 3-ups expected in the first week of July. Here is a breakdown of box contents, from Mike over at Conquest Games:

40 x Infantry - 8 chain, 8 padded, 24 leather/cloth
4 x Command - 2 chain, 2 leather/cloth
2 x Casualties -

All can be armed with kite shields (this time with bosses that can mix/match with the cavalry shields to add more variety)
There are some more round shields too. We have also updated the shield without an arm attached to have a wood grain on the reverse
Weapons consist of spears, swords and Dane-axes (plus we will hopefully be putting in a sprue or two of our cavalry weapons)
There are 7 different heads
There are 2 banners and 2 horns (different to cavalry ones)

Additionally Conquest Games just released the box art for the set:



If you're not excited about this you're in the wrong forum! July couldn't come sooner.

[Griefbringer]

I am not all that excited about the cover art - looking forward to seeing the actual three-ups and sprue shots instead.

[Lord Dan]

Nor am I. I was somewhat surprised by how amateurish it looks, both in quality of the design and in the intensity of the color. It's not nearly as bad as the Wargames Factory artwork, however it's still rather disappointing.

In any case, as you said, what we're really waiting for are the sprue shots.

[Whitwort Stormbringer]

Very cool! I've been waiting for these guys for a while now, and am looking forward to their release. The breakdown of chain/padded/cloth seems pretty reasonable, although I could perhaps do with a few more in padded armor and chain on all of the command figures. Still, sounds like a promising set.

[Axel]

Sounds like it will find a way in my collection...

[JoV]

Have been looking forward to these ever since I got one of their Norman knight's boxes.

Hoping there is a good variety of poses available.

[6mmhero]

Looking forward to them quite a bit.

[Lars Porsenna]

Personally this is a "too late" set for me (I already have a Norman army), but if I was starting from scratch, not too crazy about the assortment. It would have been better IMHO if half were in mail (not chain, c'mon guys!) and gambesons, with parts to make archers for the unarmored guys as well as close combat weapons. With that mix, it makes making the Norman army at Hastings a bit easier (even if the ratios are off). Unfortunately I'm probably going to give this one a miss. Maybe we'll see what happens when they release archers (IF they do...)

Damon.

[Lord Dan]

Some great points there, Lars. I thought the heavy ratio of cloth/leather armor to chainmail was surprising, particularly given the fact that the kit does not include any ranged weapons. Personally I'll be putting my green stuff skills to work there, however it would have been nice if the kit included some bows for variety's sake. Additionally I'm pretty sure the company isn't planning a set of plastic bows/crossbows anytime soon, as on their website they mentioned that none were included in their infantry set because they: "just released their metal crossbow and bowmen."

Anyone else concerned about the kit contents?

[Whitwort Stormbringer]

I used to mostly play fantasy games where nearly everyone was fully armored, but to be honest I've gotten pretty used to a large unarmored:armored ratio in most historical sets so it really didn't bother me. That said, I'm also not terribly familiar with Normans so I don't know about the accuracy of the ration in the set's contents. Based on Lars's post, it does sound like it may be a tad frustrating, though.

I hadn't thought about the lack of bows - again not something that I'm overly worried about but none the less more options are always nice. I imagine it wouldn't be too hard to customize a few using bow arms from another set, but it would be nice if that option was included.

[Griefbringer]

I imagine it wouldn't be too hard to customize a few using bow arms from another set

I would recommend contacting people who own the Perry WotR infantry set. That one come with plenty of bow arms (30 for 40 figures) and some of these work fine for earlier times - I have used them to good effect with WF unarmoured Viking bodies to make bondi archers (not really fond of the way the bow arms from the WF set worked, though the quivers are nice).

Considering their release history so far, I would not expect Conquest to release another set of plastics any time soon. It has already been quite a while since the original knight set was released.

As for metals, the Conquest ones are quite pricy - I would look at other manufacturers for metal missile troops if going that way.

[zirrian]

http://www.conquest-games.co.uk/foru...p?f=15&t=47812

And here's the first pic from the assembled/painted figures. I really like 'em, and the unarmoured/padded torsoes will have a nice place in my third crusade army (also bare heads, yes, please!).

[Lord Dan]

Hey those look great! You know what would look better on them?

...chainmail.

Still I'm impressed with how they turned out. I think they'll blend in well when kitbashed with the gripping beast plastics I have on the way.

[zirrian]

Hey those look great! You know what would look better on them?

...chainmail.

Still I'm impressed with how they turned out. I think they'll blend in well when kitbashed with the gripping beast plastics I have on the way.

8 of them will have it, but I don't think that's enough For me, it's okay. Also as I see the arms have the same gimmick as the knights - the forearm and hand holding weapon is separate, otherwise one piece. This makes a bit harder to convert. But you can always use the heads for normann conversions.

[Gwyddyon]

In their defense, they're releasing a "Norman infantry" set, not a "Norman infantry at Hastings" set. I think the ratios sound just fine.

[Axel]

It certainly looks like these bodies will also have a use for peasant levies. I will get me a box and see what I can get out of it. I am not really building a Norman army right now...

[Jim Bowen]

These look good and worth the wait my Darkages collection will have a nice uniform feel to it as all the plastics have been sculpted by Bob Neismith. As far as the armour goes chainmail was rare in this period due to its time consuming nature to make and the cost many of the warrior class who would eventually become knights didn't wear it at this point in history.
the Normans power came from the aggresive use of their cavalry the infantry where mostly levy and expected to make up the numbers around a small body of dismounted knights. Specialist infantry would be hired mecenaries such ascross bow men and perhaphs Schwaibian swords men forgive the spelling on that.
Now Gripping beast just need to pull their finger out and bring out the un armoured infantry they mentioned a couple of years ago I will be a very happy man

[Verm1s]

I am not all that excited about the cover art - looking forward to seeing the actual three-ups and sprue shots instead.

Quoted for truth!

http://www.conquest-games.co.uk/foru...p?f=15&t=47812

And here's the first pic from the assembled/painted figures. I really like 'em, and the unarmoured/padded torsoes will have a nice place in my third crusade army (also bare heads, yes, please!).

Aaand... those don't look too bad. Maybe a bit of the same hunched shoulder effect as the knights, what with the upper arms as part of the torso, but not too bad...

Biggest issue IMO is if they can be used for any other DA army. Might have to scrape together some spare saxon heads, for instance.

Also as I see the arms have the same gimmick as the knights - the forearm and hand holding weapon is separate, otherwise one piece. This makes a bit harder to convert.

But on the other hand, fewer ridiculous gaps.

[JoV]

It certainly looks like these bodies will also have a use for peasant levies. I will get me a box and see what I can get out of it. I am not really building a Norman army right now...

This is my attitude also. Can see me swapping bits between this and a few other set to build more peasant levy type troops for my force. I think those look quite good.

[Griefbringer]

Checked the comments on the forum, and there was another tidbit of information: there will be enough arms to equip 16 of the models with those long-shafted Dane axes.